The author heaped praises on the performances of the cast and appreciated the writers for some key decisions.

Author George R.R. Martin has spoken in length about the new season of the series House of the Dragon, which is based on his novel Fire & Blood. The series chronicles the war of succession between the Targaryens, which is known as the Dance of the Dragons.

While the new season has been receiving rave reviews from critics and fans alike, some book fans have criticized the show for changing events from the source material. Martin broke his silence regarding the new season and while he praised some of the changes made by the writers, he had some opinions about one pivotal scene in the show.

George R.R. Martin’s Opinion On The ‘Blood And Cheese’ Scene In House of the Dragon

A still from House of the Dragon | Credits: GRRM/Bastard Sword/1:26 Pictures Inc./HBO Entertainment

The HBO series House of the Dragon is currently in its second season and the stakes seem to be higher than ever. The series, which won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama, has been compared to some of the best episodes of its flagship show Game of Thrones.

However, some have pointed out the differences between the new season and George R.R. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood. The book chronicles the history of the Targaryens and acts as a companion piece for the A Song of Ice And Fire novel series. Fans seemed to have an issue with the differences in the ‘Blood and Cheese’ sequence in the season premiere episode.

George R.R. Martin | Credits: WTTV News

Martin took to his blog to express his opinion about the second season. While he appreciated the performances and character development in the series, he expressed some concerns over the absence of Maelor in the ‘Blood and Cheese’ sequence. He said,

Well, there’s a lot to be said about that, but this is not the place for me to say it.   The issues are too complicated. Somewhere down the line, I will do a separate post about all the issues raised by Blood and Cheese… and Maelor the Missing.  There’s a lot to say.

The author raised some concerns about the way the storyline ended and whether it was gut-wrenching enough for the readers of the books.

Why Is Maelor Missing In House of the Dragon?

A still from House of the Dragon | Credits: GRRM/Bastard Sword/1:26 Pictures Inc./HBO Entertainment

One key aspect of the ‘Blood and Cheese’ sequence in House of the Dragon is the absence of Maelor, Helaena and Aegon’s young 2-year-old son. In the book by George R. R. Martin, Maelor is chosen by Helaena to be killed by the assassins sent by Daemon, but they end up killing their eldest and heir, Jaehaerys, instead.

The saddest part of the sequence is driving Helaena to the point of choosing between her children and leaving Maelor with the knowledge that his mother chose him to die. However, House of the Dragon omits his character as the show reportedly condenses Fire & Blood’s timeline from thirty years to twenty years.

According to EW, co-creator Ryan Condal mentioned that Maelor had not yet been born in the timeline of the show, hinting that the young son might be born in the coming years. In the book, Helaena goes through a depressive state caused by her eldest son’s death and her choice to sacrifice her youngest. She dies by suicide in the books.

Condal’s statement and Helaena’s eventual arc may indicate that the show will be exploring her character more throughout the season. Martin had great praise for actress Phia Saban’s performance as the Queen.

House of the Dragon is currently streaming on Max.